Challenges – Stampin' With Candice

Create with Candice Challenge — It’s Finally Here!

If you know me, you know I love a good challenge and participate in many different ones. You may have noticed that I even have a page dedicated to sharing some of my favorite creative challenges—and in the last section, there has been a little teaser:

Create with Candice Challenges — Coming Soon!

Well, guess what? The wait is over!

If you joined me for my live on Monday, you got the first look at my very first Create with Candice Challenge!

Each challenge will last approximately one month, giving you plenty of time to create and participate. The challenges will change from month to month and could include sketches, colors, themes, techniques, CASE the Designer, or just about anything else I come up with!

Most importantly, I hope these challenges inspire you to pull out your supplies, try something new, and share your creativity with us.

You can find all the information about how to participate, share your projects, and become one of my Featured Creators on the Create with Candice Challenge page. And while you’re there, be sure to jump over to my Creative Challenges page for even more challenges and inspiration.

Our First Challenge — #CWCC001

Before you go, let me introduce you to our very first Create with Candice Creative Challenge!

This month I’m starting with a super-easy sketch challenge. I honestly fell in love with this layout and had a hard time stopping once I started creating with it!

During my live, I shared how to create the Flamingo and Walrus cards, demonstrating how easily the same sketch can be adapted to both vertical and horizontal card designs.

But I didn’t stop there!

Be sure to scroll through and check out all the different cards I created using this fun design, along with the card that inspired it all (the Halloween Witches Hat). I think you’ll be surprised by just how many different looks you can get from one simple sketch.

Now it’s your turn!

Use the sketch as your starting point and make it your own. Turn it, flip it, change the shapes, keep it simple, or dress it up—the sketch is there to inspire you, not limit you.

Then share your creation using #CWCC001 and #CreateWithCandice so we can see what you create and inspire one another.

I can’t wait to see what you come up with, share your creativity throughout the month, and send a little happy mail to our Featured Creator!

Happy Stampin’! 🦋

A beautifully crafted Christmas card featuring a window scene that displays a peaceful nativity setting on one side, while the inside is adorned with cozy holiday elements like hanging stockings and warm colors.

💕 Let’s Stay Connected

📺 YouTube 📘 Facebook 📸 Instagram 📌 Pinterest

September 23, 2026

CandiceLeave a comment

Create Stunning Christmas Cards: CASE Techniques

This week’s Global Design Project challenge, #GDP560, is another fun CASE the Designer challenge, featuring Charlet Mallett!

I love CASE challenges because there are so many different directions you can take the inspiration. You can focus on the colors, layout, technique, or even just one little element that catches your eye.

For my card, I chose to focus on Charlet’s background technique and a similar layout, but gave it a Christmas twist using the Pretty Poinsettia Bundle. 🎄

I absolutely love how the soft background adds interest without competing with that gorgeous poinsettia. It really helps the rich colors and dimension of the flower pop!

That’s one of my favorite things about CASEing another designer—you can start with the same inspiration and create something completely your own. ❤️

Want to See How It Comes Together?

Check out my reel for a quick recap of how to create this stunning card!

Then use these quick tips when creating your own:

Create your own stencil. Cut the leaves from a thick piece of paper. I used one of the cardboard backers from a Designer Series Paper pack. Keep an extra piece handy to cover any open areas as you move the design around your background.
Start with watercolor paper. For the best results with this background technique, watercolor paper gives you a little more freedom to work with the water and ink.
Make your own color spritz. Add a few drops of reinker to a color spritzer along with water to create the soft background color.
Add some splatters. A Water Painter makes it quick and easy to add those little splatters of color that give the background even more interest.
Give your poinsettia dimension. Ink the edges of the poinsettia petals and leaves, then gently curl them with a Bone Folder before assembling. This adds beautiful depth and texture.
Customize your Rhinestones. Use Stampin’ Blends to add color to your Rhinestones so they coordinate perfectly with your project.

✨ Want to create your own?
Click here for a complete list of the products I used and an easy way to place your order.

No matter where your creative journey takes you, I’m so glad you’re here. Let’s learn, create, connect, and grow together—one project at a time. 🦋

💕 Let’s Stay Connected

📺 YouTube 📘 Facebook 📸 Instagram 📌 Pinterest

August 16, 2026

CandiceLeave a comment

July Paper Pumpkin Meets a Sketch Challenge

For this week’s Global Design Project Sketch Challenge #GDP558, I was inspired by my July Paper Pumpkin kit. This month’s kit featured easy-to-create easel cards, and I absolutely fell in love with the flowers, sentiments, and coordinating add-on dies. They were the perfect combination for bringing this week’s sketch to life.

I decided to stick with the same beautiful color palette from the kit: Hydrangea Hue, Timid Tiger, Melon Mambo, Darling Duckling, and Old Olive. I love how bright and cheerful these colors are together. While the Paper Pumpkin cards used softer tones, I created a similar look by stamping some of my images at full strength and others stamped off for a lighter shade.

Creating the Floral Panels

The sketch featured four rectangles separated by narrow spaces, so I reached for the Rounded Rectangle Punch to create my four panels.

I started with Basic White cardstock, stamping the leaves in Old Olive around the corners before adding flowers in Melon Mambo and Timid Tiger (stamped off). My goal was to create a floral frame around each rectangle while leaving the centers clean and open.

Next came my favorite part—adding dimension!

Using the coordinating add-on dies, I cut flowers from Hydrangea Hue, Timid Tiger, and Darling Duckling, along with leaves in Old Olive. Instead of leaving the leaves attached to their stems, I snipped them apart and tucked them throughout the design anywhere I wanted a little extra greenery.

Several of the flowers were popped up with Stampin’ Dimensionals for added depth. I even allowed some of the flowers to extend past the edges of each panel before trimming them flush once everything was adhered. This helps create the illusion that the floral arrangement continues beyond the edges.

The finished panels were attached to a 3¼” × 5″ piece of Basic White cardstock using additional Dimensionals.

Adding the Sentiment

For the greeting, I stamped “hooray” in Melon Mambo on Basic White cardstock and carefully fussy cut it. The “it’s your day!” sentiment was stamped in Timid Tiger and cut using the Triple Banner Punch.

To pull everything together, I wrapped Crisp Cantaloupe Ribbon around the center of the card and tied it with White Baker’s Twine.

One thing I love about Stampin’ Up! products is how well many of the colors coordinate, even when they aren’t exact matches. The Crisp Cantaloupe ribbon paired beautifully with the softer stamped-off Timid Tiger images and tied the entire card together.

Creating the Easel Card Base

The card base is Hydrangea Hue cardstock, cut to 11″ × 4¼” and scored at 5½” and 2⅛” to create the easel fold.

I wanted to recreate the subtle plaid background from the Paper Pumpkin cards, so instead of embossing with the Forever Plaid 3D Embossing Folder, I tried a different technique.

I inked the embossing folder, laid my cardstock onto the inked surface, and rolled over it with my Stampin’ Brayer. This transferred the plaid pattern without adding texture, which kept the fold nice and smooth while still giving me the look I wanted.

To finish the front, I adhered only the bottom portion of the white panel to the lower section of the card base so the easel mechanism could function properly.

Finishing the Inside

For the inside, I added a 3¾” × 5″ piece of Basic White cardstock.

I stamped the grid image three times in Timid Tiger, then stamped the “hugs & wishes” sentiment in the same color and punched it out with the Triple Banner Punch.

I attached the banner with Stampin’ Dimensionals, allowing it to act as the stopper that holds the easel card upright—just like the original Paper Pumpkin design.

Final Thoughts

This was such a fun card to create, and I know I’ll be reaching for these stamps and coordinating dies again soon. It’s always exciting to take inspiration from one project and transform it into something completely new.

If you’ve ever thought about trying Paper Pumpkin, now is a great time! New subscribers who sign up for the pay-as-you-go subscription by August 10 will receive 25% off their first kit. Even better, once you’re a subscriber, you’ll have access to purchase many past kits and refill kits while supplies last.

Click here to get started today!

Check out this sneak peek of what’s to come!

No matter where your creative journey takes you, I’m so glad you’re here. Let’s learn, create, connect, and grow together—one project at a time. 🦋

💕 Let’s Stay Connected

📺 YouTube 📘 Facebook 📸 Instagram 📌 Pinterest

August 2, 2026August 16, 2026

CandiceLeave a comment

Creating Depth with One Color: Card Making Tips

This week’s #TGIFC587 challenge was all about tone-on-tone, and I decided to really challenge myself by creating an entire card using just one color.

Rather than choosing a color you would typically expect with the Notes of Collage Bundle, I reached for Gray Granite. This is a sneak peek bundle (and I’m not even sure when it will be released!), but I couldn’t wait to create with it. I have to say… I absolutely love how this card turned out.

One of my goals was to show that a monochromatic card doesn’t have to feel flat. By layering several simple techniques, I was able to create lots of depth, texture, and contrast while staying true to a single color palette.

For the background, I die cut one of the abstract images and used the piece as a mask with a blending brush to softly add ink. Afterwards, I made sure my Gray Granite ink pad was freshly reinked so I could stamp the large leaf at full strength twice, then stamped the wispy leaf a several times using the stamp off technique for a softer, lighter impression.

To add even more texture, I distressed the edges of the cardstock with my scissors before gently crinkling the panel. A little more Gray Granite ink brushed over the edges and creases helped highlight all of that wonderful texture. The delicate die-cut leaves, cut from Gray Granite cardstock, really stand out against the inked background without introducing another color.

I kept the sentiment monochromatic as well by stamping “I’m Here for You” in Gray Granite on a die-cut label. Finally, I finished the card with Gray Granite Variegated Ribbon and a few Mosaic Dots for just the right amount of sparkle and elegance.

This card was a wonderful reminder that sometimes limiting yourself creatively can actually open the door to new ideas. It’s amazing how much interest you can create with a single color by simply varying the depth of ink, layering textures, and adding dimension.

Have you ever challenged yourself to create a true monochromatic card using just one color? I’d love to hear which color you would choose or better yet share your creation in the comments or on my social media.

No matter where your creative journey takes you, I’m so glad you’re here. Let’s learn, create, connect, and grow together—one project at a time. 🦋

💕 Let’s Stay Connected

📺 YouTube 📘 Facebook 📸 Instagram 📌 Pinterest

July 29, 2026July 30, 2026

CandiceLeave a comment

Inspired by TGIF Challenges #TGIFC585

As I’ve been working behind the scenes updating my website, one of the pages I’ve been most excited to create is a new section dedicated to the creative challenges I love participating in. Challenges are one of my favorite ways to spark creativity, try new techniques, and look at my supplies in a whole new way.

While putting that page together, I came across the TGIF Challenges #TGIFC585 sketch and knew it would be the perfect inspiration for my next project.

For this card, I reached for the Splash and Relax Bundle to create a bright, cheerful summer design. The sketch immediately made me think of sunshine, water, and relaxing by the pool.

To create the background, I used the Water & Dotted Lines Mask with a blending brush, layering Pool Party, Coastal Cabana, and Pretty Peacock ink to build the water effect. Once the ink was blended, I added a simple splash of water across the background to lift some of the color and create natural texture. It’s one of my favorite techniques because it’s incredibly easy but gives such beautiful results.

One other little detail I love is the baker’s twine. Rather than searching for the perfect color, I started with the gray baker’s twine from the pack and used my blending brush with Pretty Peacock ink to color it. It’s such an easy technique that lets you customize your twine to match any project. Plus, it gives you even more ways to use all the colors included in a multicolor pack!

I finished the card with a bright life preserver, my custom-colored baker’s twine, a simple greeting, and a few embellishments to keep the focus on the fun background.

Sometimes the simplest designs become my favorites, and this one definitely makes me smile. Between the ink-blended background, the water splatter texture, and the colored baker’s twine, this card uses a few easy techniques that add lots of interest without adding much extra work.

If you’ve never tried a sketch challenge before, I encourage you to give one a try. They are a wonderful way to get inspired and stretch your creativity.

Challenge: #TGIFC585

Exciting Update

I had so much fun creating this card, and when I found out it was selected as this week’s #TGIFC585 Challenge Winner, I knew I had to make a quick reel sharing a few of the techniques I used!

From the ink-blended background and water splatter texture to coloring the gray baker’s twine with Pretty Peacock ink, this card is full of simple techniques that make a big impact.

A huge thank you to the TGIF Challenges team for choosing my card! I’m honored that you loved it as much as I loved creating it. ❤️

Ready to make your own? For a complete supply list and quick access to all the products used, click here to shop this project. Click here to download the free tutorial.

Love creative challenges or looking for a little inspiration? Be sure to check out the Creative Challenges page in the Learn section of my blog. It’s packed with links to some of my favorite challenge sites, along with ideas to spark your creativity. They’re fun, inspiring, and a wonderful way to get yourself creating today!

Happy Stampin’

💕 Let’s Stay Connected

📺 YouTube 📘 Facebook 📸 Instagram 📌 Pinterest

July 15, 2026August 16, 2026

CandiceLeave a comment

Soft Florals & Bold Color: A #GDP533 Challenge Card

This week we’re jumping into another color challenge for the Global Design Project challenge #GDP533, featuring Strawberry Slush, Petal Pink, and Pretty Peacock. When I look at these colors together, I love them—they’re soft, fresh, and so pretty. But if I’m being completely honest, once I sat down to actually create with them… I struggled more than I expected.

Perfect timing though, because my most recent Stampin’ Up! order arrived, and inside was the Lovely Florals Stamp Set #166797, which has been sitting on my wish list for quite a while. I was a little sad to realize it’s now on the Last Chance list (along with the Texture Notes Dies #165555), but it turned out to be exactly the inspiration I needed for this card.

A handmade greeting card featuring a pink floral illustration on a white square, accented with blue and coral geometric patterns and a pink ribbon.

I started by stamping the floral image in Black StazOn Ink #101406, then pulled out my Water Painters #168253. I dipped them directly into my ink pads and watercolor-painted the image, which allowed me to control the intensity of each color while still keeping that soft, artsy feel.

For the background, I stamped the grid image onto white cardstock and used my water painter to flick ink onto the paper, creating a fun speckled effect. I then went back in with a Blending Brush #160518 to add more color. This technique was such a win—I could leave some of the white showing and create multiple shades of color, essentially making my own custom DSP.

Close-up of a handmade card featuring a pink flower illustration with green leaves, placed on a textured pink background and accented with a pink ribbon.

A close-up view of a metal cutting die positioned over a pink cardstock, with an embossed texture visible beneath the die. The setup appears to be on a craft table, including a clear base plate.

One of my favorite little tricks on this card came from a happy workaround. I wanted a square layer behind my focal image, but the dies I had were rectangular. Instead of cutting the full die, I partially ran it through the machine so it only cut part of the image. Then I lined it up and cut the opposite side. The result? A square cut with that same cool patterned edge—problem solved!

To finish things off, I added Adhesive-Backed Gems #165615 and Faux Linen Ribbon #165274 for a bit of texture and sparkle.

You’ll notice there’s no sentiment on this card—and yes, that was intentional. I originally planned to add a “hello,” but in the end I decided to leave it off. Sometimes it’s nice to have a card ready to go, so you can add the perfect sentiment when the moment calls for it.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Be sure to check out all the beautiful projects shared by the designers over at the Global Design Project—this color combo definitely sparked some gorgeous creativity this week. 💕

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Contact me today to place your order!
435-232-2655 Cell ( Call or Text)
andersoncandice@hotmail.com